Malik Monk Downgraded to Doubtful for Kings' Season Opener

We haven't even tipped off the regular season and the NBA injury report is already in midseason form. According to Underdog NBA, Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk has been downgraded to doubtful for Wednesday night with a sore left ankle.

If you were banking on his instant offense to anchor your opening night parlays, it is officially time to pivot. A doubtful tag in the NBA is basically a polite way of saying a guy is going to be wearing a very expensive designer outfit on the bench.

"Underdog NBA reported: 'Malik Monk (ankle) downgraded to doubtful Wednesday.'"

The Kings are scheduled to open their season against the Los Angeles Clippers, and missing their primary spark plug is a brutal way to start the campaign. Without Monk's usual production, Sacramento is going to have to dig deep into the rotation, leaving minutes for guys like Nique Clifford and Emanuel Sharp.

That is a terrifying reality for a team that relies so heavily on Monk to keep the scoreboard moving when the starters sit. He has historically been a walking bucket for Sacramento, averaging nearly 14 points per game while shooting close to 40 percent from deep during his best stretches.

This specific injury is also a lingering headache for the Kings. A quick look at his medical history shows Monk has dealt with at least five different ankle issues over his career, making this left ankle soreness a red flag you cannot just ignore.

Keep an eye on the final inactive list before tipoff, but all signs point to Monk sitting this one out. Sacramento will have to find a way to manufacture bench points out of thin air if they want to leave Los Angeles with a win.